You Can’t Ignore The Trend
Trends make waves in markets. Some last for weeks while others go on to become the new norm. Plenty of brands are successful despite themselves simply because they’re riding the latest wave that hasn’t washed out yet.
Even if you’re lucky enough to be one of these brands it’s only a matter of time until the tides change. Soon enough your product will no longer be the hot new thing. Then you’ll have to make a decision:
do you ignore it and hope it just passes by
adapt with the trend and hope it lasts
or buck the trend and stand your ground?
In today’s issue I talk about why, if you choose not to adapt, you have no choice but to buck the trend. Let’s look at an example:
Trends in Cookware - from Non-stick to Ceramic
New cookware hit the market that was promised to be non-stick. Just drop your egg on a hot pan and it will slide right off.
Non-stick became huge. QVC-type demos have been broadcasted across tv singing it’s praise for over 50 years now. Every few years a new ‘brand’ would pop-up and attempt to reinvent the idea with a slightly different coating.
Lucky for stainless steel cookware, people quickly learned these “non-stick” products had a problem. The coatings contain toxic chemicals that could seep into your food.
This created two camps:
the “that has toxic chemicals I’ll just use regular pans” people
the “I don’t care and love non-stick too much to go back” people
Then one day, a new type of non-stick coating came to market. It’s called ceramic cookware and apparently gives you the same non-stick coating without any of the toxins.
Brands like Caraway Home are rapidly becoming household names on the back of this trend. They were able to sell both camps with their “non-stick, non-toxic” messaging.
What to do if your brand isn’t following the trend
When you’re in this situation–running a brand that isn’t following the trend–it’s tempting to try and pretend it doesn’t exist.
Not only can you not ignore it, you shouldn’t.
You can’t ignore it because online shoppers are comparison shoppers. We’re looking at a dozen options before making a decision.
You shouldn’t ignore it because bucking the trend gives you the chance to create a new narrative. You’re now David vs Goliath. It’s time to take a stand.
Stainless Steel cookware can buck the trend
What if I told you ceramic cookware isn’t as non-toxic as they say. These pans are actually made with cheap metal like aluminum before they apply a “ceramic” coating on top. During the application process, there are plenty of toxic chemicals involved.
In only a few short years (or months) this coating begins to break down. So, even if you’re okay with eating small particles of ceramic coating, your food will start sticking to the pan more and more. Kinda defeats the purpose of a non-stick coating, yea?
At the same time, that aluminum core is pretty flimsy. Warping, small dents, and flimsy handles are all too common. It’s not fun when your pans don’t sit flat on your stove, is it?
Oh and one more thing - those ceramic pans sure are cute. The muted colors. “Millennial pink”. You know what was considered cute 20 years ago? That white cookware with floral patterns - the stuff considered so ugly today it sits on a shelf in GoodWill for years.
Enough about ceramics, though. Let’s talk about stainless steel for a second.
First off, there’s no coatings. That means there is nothing toxic about it. Not now, and not 5 years from now after using it every day. Yes, your food can stick so you’ll have to use a bit of oil or butter. But I think we can all agree that’ll only make the food taste better.
It’s also the sturdiest cookware you can buy (next to cast-iron pans). You can cook with it for 100 years without it falling apart. Style? Stainless steel is a timeless classic. While trends have come and gone, the high-end look of stainless steel cookware hasn’t faltered.
What I’m saying is, stainless steel cookware is designed to last a lifetime. It won’t break and won’t go out of style. So, you can buy a new ceramic cookware set every few years (and maybe get cancer in the process) or you can buy one stainless steel set.
Why this works
If you were a fan of ceramic cookware before reading that passage, you would have never considered stainless steel and it’s sticky nature. After reading it, if you value things that last and don’t want to buy new cookware every few years, I’ve now got a chance.
If you’re a devout fan of stainless steel, I’ve just given you all the rationale you need for buying the product. I’ve also loaded you up with ammo to go debate your friends about it. The next time they say “ceramic is cool” you may say “nahhhh that’s just marketing, you should check out this stainless steel brand.”
Embracing the trend, even when your product goes against it, allows you to insert yourself into the narrative and ride the wave rather than getting washed away by it.
That’s all, folks.
Is this post sticking to what I promised the newsletter would consist of? I don’t know, and I almost didn’t publish it because of that. The truth is, this is something that’s been on my mind as I try to navigate similar issues for clients. I know it’s not ‘one actionable tip’ as I’ve promised so I’d love your feedback:
Do you like these types of posts, or would you prefer more actionable, tactical articles?